Wall and ceiling tile



1 Filed Nov. 29, 1950 Nov. 16, 1954 c. M. PAGE WALL AND CEILING TILE 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. J/lESTE/F M51915 Ilia-iii); I

'1 If 4 3 v '4 ATTORNEY Nov. 16, 1954 c. M. PAGE WALL AND CEILING TILE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 29, 1950 T :1 INVENTOR.

CHEsrERMB /6 By y 4T7'0/P/VE) United States Patent "i e.

WALL AND CEILING TILE Chester M. Page, Cresskill, N. J.

Application November 29, 1950, Serial No. 198,106

8 Claims. (Cl. 20-4) The present invention relates to wall and ceilingtile and is more particularly directed toward tile having a body made ofboard-like material and provided with a covering sheet which isfrictionally secured to the body of the tile.

According to the present invention tile blanks are cut from common typesof composition wall board material such as the less expensive forms ofcane-fiber board and pressed-wood fiber board, or the more expensiveglass fiber board, styrene foam board, plywood, or lumber. Each of thesematerials has advantages and disadvantages for use as surfacing of awall or ceiling. They require finishes in the form of paint, varnish,and the like, and may or may not be clean or waterproof. The tilecontemplated by the present invention is provided with a covering whichhas a permanent surface and can be readily cleaned, whereby it ispossible to obtain the advantages of cheapness of basic material, retainsound absorbing properties, and avoid the necessity of future finishing.

The tile blanks may have sides at right angles to the faces and may bebeveled or not, or they may have interlocking tongues and grooves andbeveled edges. While the blocks are typically rectangular so that theymay be assembled in right angled patterns, they may be of otherpolygonal forms such as triangles, hexagons, etc.

According to the present invention at least two and preferably all sidesof The blank are provided with narrow slots (or slits) extendingtherealong parallel with the front face of the tile. These slots haverelatively rough walls so as to frictionally grip the covering materialwhen it is forced into them.

The covering material employed is opaque, tough plastic sheeting, suchas sheet vinyl, and it extends over the entire front face of the blankand back over the portionsof the sides of the blank in front of theslots and is doubled over onto itself and forced into the slots so thattwo plies of the sheet material fill the slots and are frictionallygripped by the side walls. In this manner the covering is so firmlysecured that application to the covering over the face of the blank offorces likely to be encounterd in its use will not remove the doublededges from the slots. This is accomplished without the use of adhesiveswhich would require time to cure, or dry, and without the use of staplesor other mechanical securing devices which would not satisfactorily holdthe covering in place in the softer forms of material. Although thecovering is securely held for all usual and normal purposes, one canreadily remove it along an,

edge when it is desired to cut down the size of a tile so as to fit intoa smaller space.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear as thedescription proceeds.

The accompanying drawings show, for purposes of illustrating the presentinvention, two forms in which the invention may be embodied, togetherwith the method of making the tile blanks and the completed tile units,it being understood that the drawings are illustrative of the'inventionrather than limiting the same.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the positioning of the sawsused in cutting the tile blanks from the board-like material;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an arrangement of Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6are views illustrating the successive steps in severing a large sheetinto two blanks 7 2,694,233 Patented Nov. 16, 1954 Fig. 7 is adiagrammatic view illustrating the cutting of the slots into the blankssuch as formed in Figures l-6;

Fig. 8 is a view 'to illustrate the shape of the covering sheet and itssize relative to the tile blank to be covered;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the disposition of thecovering sheet and the tile blank in the open assembling machinepreliminary to the securement of the sheet to the blank;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 9 showing themachine closed;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary top plan view of the same, also showing in dotand dashlines the inner position of the tools used for forcing themargins of the covering sheet into place;

I Fig. 12 is a view similar to Figure 10 showing the position of thetools corresponding to the dot and dash lines of Figure 11.

Fig. 13 is a cross sectional view at an enlarged scale showing twoabutting tile units such as made by the process shown in Figures 1 to 12inclusive.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view illustrating a corner of the tile blankand a fragment of the covering having part of the margin in place in theslot;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary view illustrating the relation elf slot widthto thickness of the doubled covering s eet;

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a corner showing the covering in place;

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a finished tile;

Fig. 18 is an elevational view showing four tiles joined;

Fig. 19 illustrates an outside corner member; and

Fig. 20 illustrates a modified form of tile.

In as much as the materials used for making the tile blanks are usuallymanufactured in large sheets and readily available as such, the firstoperations relate to conversion of these large sheets into smallerpieces which typically are squares and rectangles as these shapes fitthe usual wall and ceiling countours.

In the preferred method of making the tile blanks the large sheets arefirst cut into narrow strips of the length of the sheet and these areagain out into shorter lengths, usually squares.

The machine of Figs. 1 and 2 has a saw table 20 of suitable size tosupport the sheet S and a guide 21, shown at'the right. The sheet movesto the left, Fig. 2. Below the table are two power driven saws 22 and23, preferably disposed at 45 to the plane of the table, one in front ofthe other and adjusted higher than the other, and above the table is athird saw 24 adjusted to cut down to a depth approximately that reachedby the higher oblique saw. The saw 24 is preferably behind the othertwo.

The saw 22 makes an oblique saw cut 26 indicated in Figure 3. It extendspart way through the sheet S, for example to a depth of from the lowerface. The saw 23 makes an oblique out just deep enough to intersect thecut 26 at about the'middle of this cut and the severed material isremoved, so that the sheet now has, as shown in Figure 4, a squaregroove 27 and the upper part 2 of saw cut 26. The saw 24 cuts from abovea saw cut 28 of a depth to be about opposite the top of saw cut 26.These cuts are preferably made in this order. The sheet S now has anarrow connecting portion 29 between slots 26 and 28.

The fibrous boards can readily be broken between these saw cuts so thatthe right hand edge of the left hand strip s has the configuration shownin Figure 6 at 30 and the left hand edge of the right hand strip s" hasthe configuration shown at 31. These are shown at a larger scale inFigure 13. The former configuration includes a relatively wide deepbeveled surface 30a, a rearwardly facing surface 30b forming with 30a anacute angled nose 30c, and a rearwardlyextending surface 30d formingwith 30b an inside corner. The latter configuration (31) includes anarrow bevel 31a, a reverse bevel 31b, forming a right angled corner, aforwardly facing surface 310 and with a rearwardly extending surface 31dforming a flange 31e.

The strip s is shifted over to the guide and again passed through thesaw and the sawing repeated until the large board is reduced to narrowstrips having configurations' 3t) and 31 so that in cross section theyappear as in Figures 7, 9, 10 and 13 where the blanks, or finished tileunits, are shown. The strips s" is similarly edged, the guide 21 beingshifted to the properposition.

The strips (edged along both side edges) are now turned through 90 andpassed through the machine in the same manner so as to produce square orrectangular tile blanks B as shown in Figure ll. The flanges 31c, 302,are adjacent and nose-like edges 39c, 390 are adjacent. In this way thesquare area of the rear surface of ;he blank is offset from the squarearea of the front surace.

In carrying out the operations above set forth from a sheet, say 4' x8', one can cut thirty-two blanks one foot square in extreme dimension,but those blanks will not, when laid edge to edge cover 32 sq. ft. Theeffective area of each blank is 11 by 11 71 .The method above describedin detail is Well suited for use upon the ordinary soft wall boards, butnot for use with plywood or lumber as it may not break apartsatisfactorily. If the configuration shown is desired for such materialsit can be had by using tools of appropriate contour on blanks cutapproximately to size. Any of the blanks may be used without covering ifdesired, as for example to provide accents.

To facilitate securement of sheet covering to the blank the blank isthen, as shown in Figure 7, passed between two thin saws 35, 35 whichenter the edges of the blank just back of the depth of the bevels (atthe region of the break) so as to cut away irregularities and cut narrowslots 36, 36 parallel with the front face of the'blank and about aquarter inch in depth in the material of the blank. These slots extendthe entire length of the side of the blank and preferably along all foursides. The saw cuts have rough walls asindicated by the rough lines at36a, 3612, Figure 15.

Figure 8 shows a covering sheet 37 for use with a rectangular tile. Thesheet is square, with cut away corners' 38 and is of such size relativeto the tile blank B (shown in dotted lines in this figure) as to extendbeyond it at all four edges, but not at the corners, and leavesufficient material to pass surfaces 30b, 31b and have just enoughmaterial to form a doubled edge in the saw cuts 36. A verydesirable formof covering material is twelve gage vinyl sheeting without cloth backingor the like, to-allow for some stretching. It is thick enough to haveadequate strength, and flexible so as to be readily handled. It maybe-made up in a wide variety of colors so as to provide a finishedsurface which is permanent, easily cleaned, and not likely to beinjured.

Figure 9 illustratesthe principal parts of a machine for assembling thetile units. For clearness much of the operating mechanism is omitted.The process can be carried out by hand. The machine has a recessed bed-40 which carries an upwardly biased plate 41. A sheet 37 of the coveringmaterialis positioned face down on this plate 41, suitable guides (notshown) insuring the proper location. The blank B is then placed facedown on the sheet and similarly aligned. .The presser element 42 of themachine is then lowered as in Figure and suitably held in position. Thislowers the blank. and covering into the recessed bed 40 which bendsitupwardly as shown at the left. of Figure 10 so that its edges are nowabove the level of the slots 36.

In the machine shown there are two, rows of thin dull-edged'rollers 43mountedon a common carrier and normally spaced wider than the bed 40 ofthe machine andat an elevationto beopposite the saw cuts. 36 in-theblank, when themachine'isclosed as in Figures. 10 and In..this closedposition the edges of the.covering sheet extend up' past the rollers.These rollers are mounted for longitudinal reciprocation as indicated byarrows 43a and for lateral reciprocation as indicated by the arrows 43b.

The rollers are reciprocated back and. forth and pressed toward thecovering sheet to bring them to the'dot and dash line position of Figure11 or the full line position of Figure 12. This operation has formed.the extreme edge into a fold and. forced the fold into the slots. 36-36,opposite one another, as shown more clearly in'Figures 13 and 16. Thesaw cuts 36 have rough sides, and as shown in Figure are narrower thanthe. thickness of a: doubled fold of covering material. The material ofthe blank yields sufiiciently to allow the covering sheet I tiles sothat the flanges pass behind noses.

and roller to enter, but so tightly grips the covering sheet and pressesthe faces together after the rollers are removed as to preventunintentional removal.

It is a simple machine for making square tile, the tile blank withcovering attached along two opposite sides is removed from the machine,turned through 90 and the covering sheet similarly secured along theother two sides. Where manufacturing operations are carried out in acomplex machine the clamped assemblage may be subjected to another pairof rollers or it may be shifted through 90 and treated by the samerollers. For nonstandard sizes a hand roller such as indicated at 44,Figure 14, may be used.

The completed tile units may then be shipped and handled much the sameas uncovered pieces oftile. The edges and corners are protected by thecovering. The other tile are similarly treated with cement and forcedagainst the wall and the previously placed tile or When the tile. arethus assembled the covering sheets are tightly engaged along the jointand deeply beveled, tight, overlapping joints are provided as shown inFigures 13 and 18. The tile are self-leveling and aligning, but shouldthere be shifting along the joint to open it up, the open joint wouldnot be obvious.

If a tile is too large for a space, one can readily pull out thetucked-in edge, cut the blank with a knife, or other tool, trim offexcess covering sheet, pull it tightly over the rear surface and secureit in place by staples or tacks. The doubled edges are returned to theslots by a putty knife and the smaller tile is secured in place. Insidecorners and' fittings to moldings are readily made and the finished jobis free of visible means of tile support.

The corner number'45, Figure 19, made of narrow strips of material ofany desired length properly edged and cemented or nailed together, andcovered, is suitable for outside corners.

Where tile of square edge is desired ordinary precut tile, boards or thelike such as shown at 50, Fig. 20, beveled if desired, are slotted asshown at 51. The covering material 52- is forced into the slots as abovedescribed. This treatment is particularly well suited where tile ofmodular dimension are available or required.

It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in many forms andconstructions, and carried out in various manners, and I wish it to beunderstood that while particular forms are shown various modificationsand changes are possible, and I 'do not limit myself in any way withrespect thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A tile? unit for wall and ceiling surfacing, comprising a polygonalblank of board-like material having along its sides and intermediate thefront and rear faces thereof longitudinal slits with sides inparallelism with the front face, and a covering of pliable sheetmaterial extending overthe front face and the sides, in front of theslits and having doubled edges forced into each slit, the doublethickness of said material being slightly greater than the slit widthwhereby the covering is held in the slitsby the frictional grip of the.sides of the slits against the doubled edge" of the sheet material.

2. A.tile unit such as claimed in claim 1, wherein the slits and doublededges extend about'the entire periphery of the unit.

3. A tile'unit such: as claimed in claim 1, wherein one side of the"blank 'has an outwardly and rearwardly flaring beveled surfaceleadingback to the plane. of the slits, and is cutback at the rear, sotthatthatside edge has an acute angled nose, and the opposite side edge has asimilar beveled surfaceleadingpart way back to the correspondingmaterial receiving slit and a reversely beveled surface extending to thelatter slit. the covered .reversely beveledsurface' being adapted tooverlie the and provide doubled edges of a thickness very slightly lessthan the slit width and of substantially the depth of the slits, thedoubled edges'being'intheslits and being held there by the frictionalgrip of the same with the sides of the slits, the corners of thecovering being cut away to avoid doubling at the corners of the blank.

5. A tile unit such as claimed in claim 4, wherein two adjacent edges ofthe blank are beveled from the front face to the plane of thecorresponding slits therein and a portion of the material back of theseslits cut away so that the covering material extends about nose-likeedges, and wherein the other two edges of the blank have narrow bevelsextending to reverse bevels which reach to the corresponding slits sothat the nose-like edges of other similar tile may enter behind thereversely beveled portions.

6. A wall or ceiling tile comprising a polygonal blank of board-likematerial and adapted to be assembled with other similar tile to cover anextended area, wherein one side edge includes a rearwardly beveledsurface deeper than one half of the thickness of the tile, a rearwardlyfacing surface behind the beveled surface and forming therewith an acuteangled nose, and a rearwardly extending surface, the two back surfacesforming an inside corner, the opposite edge thereto including arearwardly beveled surface of less than one half the thickness of thetile, a reversely beveled surface extending rearwardly therefrom to thesame depth as the rearwardly beveled surface about the outer edge toform along the second edge an outside corner obliquely disposed withrespect to the face of the tile, a forwardly facing surface behind therearwardlly beveled surface to form an acute angled recess adapted toreceive the nose of an adjacent tile, and a rearwardly extending surfaceforming a flange with outside corner which may enter into the insidecorner of the adjacent tile, there being slits cut into the body of thetile generally parallel with its faces at the extreme depth of thebeveled portions, and a covering of sheet material about the front faceof the tile and having doubled edges of slightly greater thickness thanthe slit width and forced into the slits so as to be frictionally heldthere.

7. A wall or ceiling tile unit of rectangular shape and adapted to beassembled with other similar tile units to cover an extended area, thefront corner edges of the tile being beveled, two adjacent bevels beingcarried back farther from the front face than the other two, thematerial back of said two beveled edges being cut away at the rear sothat the beveled edges form nose-like elements,

the said other two edges being reversely beveled to accommodate thenose-like elements of other similar tile, each tile being provided withslits behind the nose-like elements and the reverse bevels and inparallelism with its faces, and a pliable covering sheet over the frontface of the tile, the beveled and reversely beveled portions and havingdoubled edges whose thickness slightly exceeds the slit width andfrictionally held in the slits,

the covering having its corners cut away to avoid doubling, the coveredtiles when assembled edge to edge having the covered nose-like elementsof one tile entering behind the covered, reversely beveled portions ofthe edge of the adjacent tile.

8. A tile unit for ceiling and wall covering, comprising a sheet of softpliable sheet material of generally polygonal shape with cut awaycorners, and a flat backing blank of corresponding polygonal shape ofuniform thickness with uncut corners and of smaller size, the blankhaving along its sides and between its front and rear faces longitudinalslits parallel therewith and of slightly less width than twice thethickness of the sheet, the margins of the sheet extending about thesides of the backing blank forwardly of the slits and being doubledalong their edges, forced into slits, and held there by friction.

